Have you chosen a scripture verse to guide you through the new year? Many people in the Christian blogosphere choose a word or a scripture to guide them through the year, rather than making New Year’s resolutions.  This year I decided to incorporate both a word and a scripture. My word for 2017 the year is Contentment.

Contentment

Last year when I attended She Speaks I visited the prayer room. For those of you who don’t know about She Speaks, it is a conference hosted by Proverbs 31 Ministries that equips women in their calling to write and speak for Jesus. The prayer room at She Speaks is indeed a special place. In the middle of this candlelight room, there is a table with a basket that contains hundreds of tiny little scrolls, each containing a scripture verse. Every woman that visits the prayer room has an opportunity to chose a scroll. Each woman in attendance of the conference has been prayed for, and the basket of scripture verses has also been prayed over.

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.-Proverbs 31:25

The scripture I choose is Proverbs 31:25, and this is the same verse that I choose to share with the women in a small group I was leading for an event at my church a few years earlier. Then in December when I began planning for the New Year ahead, I decided to attend the She Laughs Conference. Do you see a theme here? Me too, and that is how I choose my scripture for 2017.

I love what the Matthew Henry Commentary says about the Proverbs 31 woman regarding verses  31:10-31, and I want to share a section with you here.

She is discreet and obliging; every word she says, shows she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows itself in the tongue. Her heart is full of another world, even when her hands are most busy about this world.

Michael Hyatt in chapter 4 of his book Living Forward says that as a part of the Life Plan you create, you must think about your legacy, how you want to be remembered and create your own eulogy.

Oh, how I long to be known as a wise woman full of love and compassion. Lord, help me to live my life by wisdom and give prudent advice to others. I don’t know what lies ahead in 2017, but what I do know is that I can look to future and laugh because I am clothed with strength and dignity.

I look forward to sharing my update with you all when I return from She Laughs next week,  along with another scripture that I plan on using to define my year. Until then, I would love to know if you have chosen a scripture to meditate on in 2017. Leave a comment below with your word or verse for the year!